Sewing your own gear

[hikerbrian]

So, I'm considering sewing some of my own gear and was wondering if any of you have embarked down this avenue, and if you might have some tips for the beginner sewer. What got me thinking was a desire to get myself some kind of lightweight shelter to take with me on winter day hikes - a Zdarsky sack. I couldn't find anything that I really liked online, so I was thinking it might be fun to sew one in exactly the dimensions I desire with exactly the material I desire. I'm thinking silnylon, though I haven't decided between the 1.35 oz and 2.3 oz varieties.

Bear Paw wilderness Designs seems to have a pretty good selection of bulk materials. Any other places to find these things?

Anyway, once I got started down this thought path, a lot more possibilities presented themselves: stuff sacks, tent footprints, pack covers, tarp tents. The possibilities are endless. But for the time being, I want to design and sew my own Zdarsky sack. What fun! Maybe 6' diameter circular shape, a small drawcorded opening on top for ventilation, 5' tall walls, and a large drawcorded bottom to climb in through and seal up behind. It would be about $130 for the fabric, plus whatever I use to seal the seams. I guess I'd have to borrow a sewing machine. Anyone wanna share their trials and tribulations?

 

[DougPaul]

I have a copy of "Light Weight Camping Equipment and How to Make It" by Gerry Cunningham and Margaret Hansson. http://www.amazon.com/Light-Weight-...t+weight+camping+equipment+and+how+to+make+it A bit old, but it contains lots of useful info.

Searching on "sew outdoor gear" at Amazon brings up two more books.

Doug

 

[Chip]

I guess I'd have to borrow a sewing machine. Anyone wanna share their trials and tribulations?

I sewed some stuff sacks and a decent pair of lined, tall gators way back in my early hiking days. Very rewarding. Sewing is not that hard, though it's not difficult to reverse the pattern (like when chopping crown molding) and you'd end up with seams on the outside. Pin the thing together and reverse it (to it's correct outside) and then reverse it again to sew. Silnylon may require a finer thread or a lighter touch, don't know about that; Experiment.

Here's a couple pics I just took for Doug Paul and who else ? Quietman ? Peakbagger ? sardog1 ? I just relocated this in my "Old Hiking Stuff" storage looking for my crank radio before Sandy. This is an UNOPENED Frostline kit circa approximately 1974;

 

[sardog1]

I have no idea what that thing is. But I have older cousins who do.

I suppose next you're going to tell us you were on a first name basis with a certain Welsh-born author. But I betcha you didn't buy your bride a sleeping bag for a wedding gift – only to run out of water before you made it to the intended campsite on her first night of backpacking. Did I mention the part about bivouacking that night with our feet braced against roots so we wouldn't roll downhill? Or the cougar tracks we stepped across to get there?

 

[Chip]

But I betcha you didn't buy your bride a sleeping bag for a wedding gift –

No. All her gear was acquired and (she) was tested before the Wedding Day.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I've made a few things when Frostline was in it heyday - about all that I remember are down booties, though.

For hiking-related items, I've made several crampon bags and a few snowshoe "wraps" to cover the crampon section plus tie them together. You can get 1000d cordura at canvas shops - very strong, not that difficult to sew. Have also made lots of straps - you can get webbing in different widths plus buckles at Ragged Mtn in Intervale.

 

[sardog1]

I should have mentioned this before – Ragged Mountain in Intervale, NH (just north of North Conway on Rte. 16) stocks a good selection of fabrics, zippers, buckles, etc.

 

[Tom_Murphy]

Many of the members of the Hammock Forum website are very accomplished at making their own gear.

They typically refer to the tools of the trade as Thread Injectors.

http://www.hammockforums.net/

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=85

 

[LarryB]

I have done a few easy projects like stuff sacks & microfleece sleeping bag liners, as well as modifications & repairs to purchased gear. I bought several of these & found them to be really useful in figuring out exactly what fabrics I wanted to use:
http://www.questoutfitters.com/Swatches Page.htm